BARRIERS AND PROBLEMS AFFECTING WEB INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT: THE EXPERIENCES OF A UK SMALL MANUFACTURING BUSINESS

摘要

This paper empirically identifies the factors that restrict the Web infrastructure development process within UK Small Businesses. The paper provides a brief overview of the advantages and benefits that become available through the development of a commercial Web infrastructure, and notes that whilst these advantages and benefits are well documented, small businesses are often ill equipped to exploit them in pursuit of commercial gain. The reasons for this are considered to centre upon the barriers and problems these businesses encounter when attempting to exploit the Web for commercial gain. Consequently a summary of these barriers and problems is presented. The accuracy of this summary and its applicability as a tool with which to analyse and document the impact of the identified barriers and problems is then explored. To do so a case study research strategy is employed that utilises multiple data collection methods to analyse the on-line experiences of a UK small manufacturing business within the context of the framework presented within this paper. Based upon this case study and the paper’s preliminary findings, further research work is then proposed that will build upon the analysis presented within this paper.